Heat-resistant, high-voltage lead wire for direct current

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a heat-resistant, high-voltage insulated lead wire for direct current, which meets the demand for higher heat resistance, and its insulating coating over the conductor is formed by a polyolefin resin composition. The polyolefin resin composition is a flame-retarded resin composition comprising of a mixture of a polyethylene whose crystalline component has melting point higher than 125° C. and a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin, which contains a multifunctionalized monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule as an indispensable component. The insulating coating made of this resin composition is irradiated by an ionizing radiation to give a heat-resistant, high-voltage lead wire for direct current, which has a perpendicular flame resistance (VW-1) acceptable in the UL Standards and has a temperature rating of higher than 125° C.

This application is a continuation of now abandoned application, Ser. No. 07/930,597, filed Oct. 2, 1992, which is the U.S. national stage of PCT/JP92/00535, filed Apr. 24, 1992.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to heat-resistant, high-voltage lead wires for direct current, which have performances covering the UL Standards at higher than 125° C. of temperature ratings and are to be utilized, for example, for wiring in televisions, electromagnetic cookers, copying machines, computers and other electronic appliances.

Background of the Invention

It is important for the insulated wires used in televisions, electromagnetic cookers, copying machines, computers and other electronic appliances to be safe against fire, and such fire-resistant, insulated wires as authorized by the Electric Appliances Regulations in Japan, the UL Standards in the United States and the CSA Standards in Canada are used for the purpose.

In addition, since the fire-resistant, insulated wires used in the high-voltage parts of electronic appliances deal direct current of so high a voltage of 10 to 40 kV, safety against high voltage is also important.

As the method of evaluation of high-voltage wires for electronic appliances, one described in the Subject 758 in the UL Standards are known. In the evaluating method described there, (1) the high-voltage cut-through test and (2) the fire-resistance test are regarded to be technically difficult to pass.

FIG. 2 is given for explaining the high-voltage cut-through test according to the Subject 758 in the UL Standards. As shown in the figure, to both ends of a wire 13 which is hung down over two parallel drill rods 11, 1/32" in diameter, are applied loads 10 of 1 pound, in a bath kept at the temperature rating, and when 1.5 times as high a rated voltage is applied from the source of direct current 12, breakdown must not take place within 7 hours.

FIG. 3 is provided for the explanation of the fire-resistance test according to the UL Standards. As shown in the figure, when a wire 18, placed perpendicular in an enclosure 14 for the protection from the movement of surrounding air, is exposed to fire from a burner 15, the fire must be extinguished within 60 seconds, and an absorbent cotton 17 placed on the bottom must not be set on fire from dropped burning matter and moreover a sheet of kraft paper 16 placed above must not fire nor be scorched.

In order to satisfy these two requirements, double layered wire comprising inner polyethylene insulation and outer flame retarding resin composition jacket have been employed.

For instance, a wire in which polyethylene with melting point higher than 105° C. is coated over a conductor for passing the high-voltage cut through test has been previously disclosed. According to this disclosure, a flame retarding jacket comprising mainly ethylene-vinylacetate-vinylchloride copolymer is coated over the polyethylene insulation. (See Japanese Patent Publication No. 41786/1977)

It has also been reported that a similar double layered wire outer layer which is comprises polyvinylchloride grafted chlorinated polyethylene (Japanese Patent Publication No. 15058/1979), and chlorosulfonated polyethylene can be employed. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 42755/1974)

These insulated wires achieve VW-1 level flame retardancy by means of covering polyethlene with a highly fire resisting resin composition, which can compensate easy flamability of polyethylene while keeping the excellent insulation property and tracking resistance of polyethylene.

However, these insulated wires have an upper limit of temperature rating of 105° C., because the outer resin composition layer have a PVC moiety or chlorine-containing monomers as a repeating unit.

There are also some examples of single layered high-voltage lead wires in prior art, the insulation of these wires are flame retardant resin like a chlorinated polyethylene. However, these insulated wires also have upper limit of temperature rating of 105° C., so these high-voltage wires cannot be used at higher temperatures.

A method to make a flame retarded polyethylene composition by adding the flame retardant is also known. However, the withstand voltage characteristics of these flame retarded polyethylene composition is inferior, so the high-voltage lead wires with excellent properties have not been obtained by using such a flame retarded polyethylene composition as an insulation.

On the other hand, requirements for the use of high-voltage lead wires have increasingly been severe. The size of electronic appliances have become increasingly smaller and many functions have been required with the result of increased amount of wiring and increased requirement for higher safety and higher heat resistance in wiring materials. To meet such requirements, employment of some highly heat-resistant resins other than polyolefins may be considerable.

Generally the high-voltage lead wires used in an environment at higher than 150° C. are wires with vulcanized silicon rubber.

Silicon rubber insulated high-voltage lead wires have excellent flexibility and electrical properties, however, the silicon rubber insulation is apt to tear by being scraped with metal edges during wiring operations. This sometimes causes cracks in the insulation and leads to dielectrical break-down troubles in the worst case.

Some techniques, for example, covering the silicon rubber insulated wires with braided glass tubing or resin tubing are known. However, in general, silicon rubber insulated wires are expensive, and the total cost becomes much higher when such protecting tubings are adopted. And in addition, the diameter of the protected wire becomes too large and the handling of these insulations in wiring operations become difficult.

High-voltage wires for direct current utilizing such fluorocarbon resins as tetrafluoroethylene and tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoroethylene copolymer as the insulating materials are also known. They are excellent wires with heat resistance at higher than 150° C., but they are more expensive than silicone-rubber insulated wires and accordingly they are not practical for use other than for a specific purpose.

Thus, the first objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-resistant high-voltage lead wire for direct current with temperature rating of 125° C., which can be manufactured efficiently using inexpensive materials.

The second objective of the present invention is to provide a heat-resistant high-voltage lead wire for direct current with extremely large utility value corresponding to the requirement of higher heat resistant property in the fields of using high-voltage wires for direct current.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 (A) and (B) are cross sectional diagrams of embodiments of the high-voltage lead wires for direct current according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the high-voltage cut-through test; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the VW-1 combustion test.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been completed after extensive studies for over-coming the above described problems by using a polyethylene resin composition as an insulating material with which high-voltage lead wires for direct current having the perpendicular flame resistance (VW-1) in UL Standards and the characteristics passing the requirements for the temperature rating of higher than 125° C. in UL Standards.

The temperature rating of 125° C. here referred to means that the products pass the above-stated high-voltage cut-through test in the UL Standards at the test temperature of 125° C. and also satisfy the following heat aging tests.

In case of the polyethylene insulated wire with temperature rating of 125° C., it is required that the retention of tensile strength be more than 70% and retention of elongation be more than 65% after heat aging test for 7 days at 158° C. and for 60 days at 136° C.

In case of temperature rating of 150° C., it is required that the retention of tensile strength be more than 70% and that the retention of elongation be more than 65% after a heat aging test for 7 days at 180° C. and for 60 days at 158° C.

One example of the embodiment of such polyolefin resin compositions satisfying the above mentioned perpendicular flame resistance (VW-1) and other requirments for temperature rating of 125° C. in UL Standards is a flame retarded polyolefin resin composition which essentially contains (A) resin mixture of polyethylene of which crystalline component has higher than 125° C. of melting point and ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, and (B) a multi-functionalized monomer which has unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in a molecule.

And the high-voltage lead wire for direct current can be manufactured by extruding the said flame retarded polyolefin resin composition over the conductor followed by ionizing radiation process.

In more detail, the resin mixture (A) comprises polyethylene of which the crystalline component has a melting point of higher than 125° C. and an ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer, an ethylene-methylacrylate copolymer, an ethylene-ethylacrylate copolymer, an ethylene-methylmethacrylate copolymer, ethylene-1-butene copolymer, ethylene-propylene rubber or other ethylene-α-olefin copolymers, and it is preferable that the polyethylene of which crystalline component has a melting point higher than 125° C. occupies more than 40% by weight and less than 80% by weight of the resin mixtures.

To 100 parts of above mentioned resin mixture (A), a single or an admixed multi-functionalized monomer (B) which has the unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in molecule selected from trimethyrolpropanetrimethacrylate, pentaerythritoltrimethacrylate, triallylisocyanurate, triacrylformal is added preferably in amounts of 1 to 10 parts by weight, as well as flame retardant and inorganic fillers.

The high-voltage lead wire, according to the present invention is obtained by extruding this resin composition over the conductor in single or double layer structure followed by irradiation by means of ionizing radiation.

FIGS. 1 (A) and (B) are cross-sectional views of the high-voltage wires for direct current according to the present invention and 1 stands for the conductor while 2 and 3 for the coating films of the above stated resin composition; 2 and 3 may be of a same composition or of different ones within the range of the above stated compositions.

As examples of the above flame retardant, there may be mentioned such organic halogen compounds as a brominated diphenylether derivatives, a brominated bisphenol derivatives, a brominated epoxy-resin derivative, a brominated phthalimide derivative, perchloropentacyclodecane and trichloroethyl phosphate, and antimony trioxide, borates and molybdenum oxide.

Examples of the inorganic filler are talc, clay, silica and calcium carbonate as well as aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide.

As the ionizing radiations to be employed, α-rays, β-rays (electron beam), γ-rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays and others may be mentioned, but in view of the transmitting distance of the radiation, irradiation dose and other aspects of industrial profitability an electron beam is particularly preferable.

Needless to mention, antioxidants, lubricants, coloring pigments, fillers and other additives may be added to the above resin compositions, if desired.

Another example of polyolefin resin compositions to embody the present invention is a resin composition which is the mixture of 100 parts by weight of polyolefin resin and more than 100 parts by weight and less than 200 parts by weight of a metal hydroxide and more than 5 parts by weight and less than 50 parts by weight of a halogen containing flame retardant and 1 parts by weight and less than 10 parts by weight of an organic silane compound represented by general formula below, and the high-voltage lead wire for direct current is produced by extruding the said resin composition over the conductor and irradiating said extruded resin composition layer with an ionizing radiation. The organic composition has the following formula: ##STR1## where, R stands for an alkyl group containing acryl or methacryl group and X¹, X² and X³ are atomic groups selected from the group of alkoxy, alkyl and halogen.

As polyolefin resins may be mentioned, in addition to polyethylene, such ethylene-α-olefin copolymers as ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers, ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymers, ethylene-ethylacrylate copolymers, ethylene-methylmethacrylate copolymers, ethylene-1-butene copolymers, ethylene-1-hexene copolymers and ethylene-propylene rubbers, and among them ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-methylacrylate copolymers and ethylene-ethylacrylate copolymers are particularly preferable from the viewpoint of their flexibility and extrusion performance.

As the halogen-containing flame retardants may be mentioned as examples such a chlorine-containing retardant as perchloropentacyclodecane, such bromine-containing retardants as brominated diphenylether derivatives, brominated bisphenol derivatives, brominated epoxy resin derivatives and brominated phthalimides, and such a phosphorus-containing retardant as brominated phosphates, and it is also possible to augment the flame retarding performance by using, in combination auxiliary flame retardants, such as antimony trioxide, zinc borate and molybdenum oxide.

The halogen-containing flame retardants are desired to be used in the range of 5 to 50 parts by weight in view of the perpendicular flame resistant property (VW-1) of the high-voltage wire for direct current with thicker than 1.0 mm of insulating layer, and when they are used in less than 5 parts by weight flame retarding performance is unsatisfactory while when they are used in more than 50 parts by weight heat aging resistance will be deteriorated.

Examples of the metal hydroxides are aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide, and of them magnesium hydroxide with the particle size in the range of 0.1 to 3 μm is preferable in view of its extrusion processibility, and the particles with no surface treatment with fatty acid salts, silane coupling agents or other agents are preferable in view of their high-voltage cut-through performance and initial tensile strength.

The preferable amount of metal hydroxide to be added is in the range of 100 to 200 parts by weight in view of the high-voltage cut-through performance, and when it is less than 100 parts by weight the high-voltage cut-through performance is unsatisfactory while when it is more than 200 parts by weight extrusion operation will be undesirably affected.

As the organic silane compounds as shown by the above general formula may be mentioned, for examples, γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-acryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-methacryloxypropyldimethoxymethylsilane, and γ-methacryloxyethyltrimethoxysilane are preferably to be used, and the organic silane compound is to be added when mixing the molten polyolefin resin, metal hydroxide and halogen-containing flame retardant with compounding machine.

The preferable amount of the organic silane compound to be added is in the range of 1 to 10 parts by weight in view of the balance between the high-voltage cut-through property and initial tensile strength at break where the amount of metal hydroxide is in range of 100 to 200 parts by weight.

When the added amount of organic silane compounds is less than 1 part by weight, the high-voltage cut-through property is insufficient and the initial tensile strength at break is lower than the level of 1.06 kg/mm² which is required for polyolefin insulated wires in UL Standards, while addition of the organic silane compounds more than 10 parts by weight leads to undesirable effect in the flame retardancy.

Into the above resin compositions may be added, if desired, such inorganic fillers as talc, clay, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and zinc oxide antimony trioxide, zinc borate, antioxidant, coloring pigment, multi-functionalized monomers which accelerate cross-linking, such as trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, and other additives, and mixing these ingredients by using such a well-known mixing apparatus as a banbury mixer, a pressure kneader, an open-roll mixer and mono- and biaxial mixers.

Coating the conductor with these resin compositions may be performed by using known melt extrudes, and the insulation may be formed over the conductor in single layer or in multiple layers of a same material.

For the cross-linking of the resin compositions, thermal curing may possibly be employed if an organic peroxide is added into the compositions and compressed steam is applied for heating after extruding over the conductor, but in view of the balance between the high-voltage cut-through property and the mechanical properties of insulation layer such as tensile strength and elongation, at break, the curing process with ionized radiation is preferably used.

Cross-linking with irradiation of ionizing radiations may be conducted by using α-rays, electron beam (β-rays), γ-rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays and others from the sources of ionizing radiations, but in view of such industrial profitabilities as transmitting distance, irradiation dose and time required by irradiation, electron beam is desirable as the source of radiation.

(First Embodiment)

Sample wires were prepared by the procedures described below.

The resin compositions shown in Tables 1 to 3 were applied by the melt extrusion method over annealed copper wire, 0.8 mm φ in outer diameter, to make an insulation layer of 1.21 mm thick, and then irradiated by electron beam at 1 MeV of acceleration voltage to obtain sample wires.

The resin compositions shown in Tables 1 to 3 were formulated in common, other than polyethylene, ethylene-α-olefin copolymer and a monomer containing unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule, 45 parts by weight of tetrabromobisphenol derivative (containing bromine in 62% by weight; molelcular weight about 8000), 30 parts by weight of powdered antimony trioxide, 15 parts by weight of powdered clay, 5 parts by weight of powdered silica, 3 parts by weight of pentaerithrytyl-tetrakis[3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate], 1 part by weight of distearyl thiodipropionate and 0.5 part by weight of zinc stearate per 100 parts by weight of the resin mixture of polyethylene and ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, and the preparation of the resin compositions were done by using an open-roll mixer heated at 150° C. and after the mixing the compositions were made into pellets and used for melt extrusion.

In Tables 1 to 3 the high-voltage cut-through tests were performed in a gear oven maintained at 125° C. by charging loads of 1 pound each at both ends of the sample wire and applying 30 kV of direct current at n=3. The withstand voltage tests were performed in a gear oven maintained at 125° C. by applying direct current of 25 kV at n=3, after sample wire was submitted to heat aging for 7 days in a gear oven at 158° C. and wound 7 times round a mandrel, 0.5 inch in outer diameter. In the columns for the high-voltage cut-through test and withstand voltage test in Tables 1 to 3 are given the breaking time of the first of the 3 test samples.

In the heat aging tests the residual elongation percentage of sample wires after submitting to heat aging for 7 days in a gear oven at 158° C. was evaluated. Here, the residual elongation percentage=elongation of heat-aged sample wire/initial elongation×100, and 65% or higher of the residual elongation percentage was evaluated as acceptable. The Combustion tests were carried out by following the VW-1 method at n=5.

                                      TABLE 1                                      __________________________________________________________________________                Example 1 Example 2 Example 3                                                                              Example 4                                                                              Example 5                                                                              Example                 __________________________________________________________________________                                                            6                       Polyethylene                                                                   Melting point                                                                             131       131       129     129     131     131                     Melt flow rate                                                                            0.30      0.30      0.35    0.35    0.30    0.30                    Ratio of polyethyl-                                                                       70        70        50      50      40      40                      ene in resin                                                                   mixture by weight:                                                             (Wt %)                                                                         Ethylene-α-                                                                         Ethylene-vinyl                                                                           Ethylene-vinyl                                                                           Ethylene-vinyl                                                                         Ethylene-vinyl                                                                         Ethylene-ethyl                                                                         Ethylene-ethyl          olefin     acetate polymer,                                                                         acetate copolymer                                                                        acetate acetate acrylate                                                                               acrylate                copolymer  VA content = 10                                                                          VA content = 10                                                                          copolymer;                                                                             copolymer;                                                                             copolymer;                                                                             copolymer;                         wt %      wt %      VA content =                                                                           VA content                                                                             EA content                                                                             EA content =                                           10 wt % 10 wt % 9 wt %  9 wt %                  Melt flow rate                                                                            1.5       1.5       1.5     1.5     1.0     1.0                     Monomer contain-                                                                          Trimethytolpropane                                                                       Trimethylolpropane                                                                       Triallyl                                                                               Triallyl                                                                               Triallyl                                                                               Triallyl                ing unsaturated                                                                           trimethacrylate (3)                                                                      trimethacrylate (3)                                                                      isocyanurate (5)                                                                       isocyanurate (5)                                                                       isocyanurate                                                                           isocyanurate (5)        C--C bond in                                                                   molecule (phr)                                                                 Irradiation dose                                                                          10        30        10      30      10      30                      (Mrad)                                                                         Holding time in                                                                           >8 hr     >8 hr     >8 hr   >8 hr   >8 hr   >8 hr                   high-voltage                                                                   cut-through                                                                    test (Hr)                                                                      Holding time in                                                                           >8 hr     >8 hr     >8 hr   >8 hr   >8 hr   >8 hr                   withstand voltage                                                              test (Hr)                                                                      Initial tensile                                                                           1.31      1.38      1.23    1.29    1.30    1.37                    strength (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                         Initial elongation                                                                        115       107       233     186     269     236                     (%)                                                                            Residual elongation                                                                       76        81        81      93      91      86                      after aging (%)                                                                Combustion test                                                                           5/5, passed                                                                              5/5, passed                                                                              5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed             (VW-1)                                                                         __________________________________________________________________________      The melt flow rate of polyethylene: JIS K 6700.                                The melt flow rate of ethyleneolefin copolymer: JIS K 6730.                    Conditions of aging: 158° C., 7 days (gear oven).                       Conditions of aging for the withstand voltage test: 158° C., for 7      days (gear over).                                                              Those samples that did not break after 8 hours in the highvoltage              cutthrough test and in the withstand voltage test we indicated as >8 Hr. 

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________               Comparative                                                                           Comparative                                                                              Comparative                                                                             Comparative                                                                             Comparative                                                                             Comparative                        Example 1                                                                             Example 2 Example 3                                                                               Example 4                                                                               Example 5                                                                               Example                  __________________________________________________________________________                                                           6                        Polyethylene                                                                   Melting point                                                                            131    131       131      131      129      120                      Melt flow rate                                                                           0.30   0.30      0.30     0.30     0.35     0.35                     Ratio of polyethyl-                                                                      100    100       70       70       50       50                       ene in resin                                                                   mixture by weight                                                              (Wt %)                                                                         Ethylene-α-                                                                        --     --        Ethylene-vinyl                                                                          Ethylene-vinyl                                                                          Ethylene-vinyl                                                                          Ethylene-vinyl           olefin                     acetate  acetate  acetate  acetate                  copolymer                  copolymer;                                                                              copolymer;                                                                              copolymer;                                                                              copolymer;                                          VA content = 10                                                                         VA content = 10                                                                         VA content                                                                              VA content = 10                                     wt %     wt %     wt %     wt %                     Melt flow rate             1.5      1.5      1.5      1.5                      Monomer contain-                                                                         --     Trimethylolpropane                                                                       --       --       --       --                       ing unsaturated  trimethacrytate (3)                                           C--C bond in                                                                   molecule (phr)                                                                 Irradiation dose                                                                         10     30        10       30       10       30                       (Mrad)                                                                         Holding time in                                                                          25 min >8 hr      7 min   10 min   0 min    3 min                    high-voltage                                                                   cut-through                                                                    test (Hr)                                                                      Holding time in                                                                          4.7 hr >8 hr     4.8 hr   3.2 hr   5.6 hr   4.4 hr                   withstand voltage                                                              test (Hr)                                                                      Initial tensile                                                                          0.76   1.42      0.92     1.04     1.06     1.11                     strength (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                         Initial elongation                                                                       3      6         116      76       264      243                      (%)                                                                            Residual elongation                                                                      --     --        78       --       74       56                       after aging (%)                                                                Combustion test                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                           5/5, passed                                                                              5/5, passed                                                                             5/5, passed                                                                             5/5, passed                                                                             5/5, passed              (VW-1)                                                                         __________________________________________________________________________      The melt flow rate of polyethylene: JIS K 6700.                                The melt flow rate of ethyleneolefin copolymer: JIS K 6730.                    Conditions of aging: 158° C., 7 days (gear oven).                       Conditions of aging for the withstand voltage test: 158° C., for 7      days (gear over).                                                              Those samples that did not break after 8 hours in the highvoltage              cutthrough test and in the withstand voltage test we indicated as >8 Hr. 

                                      TABLE 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________               Comparative                                                                            Comparative                                                                             Comparative                                                                              Comparative                                                                              Comparative                                                                            Comparative                       Example 7                                                                              Example 8                                                                               Example 9 Example 10                                                                               Example 11                                                                             Example                 __________________________________________________________________________                                                            12                      Polyethylene                                                                   Melting point                                                                            131     131      131       131       131     131                     Melt flow rate                                                                           0.30    0.30     0.30      0.30      0.30    0.30                    Ratio of polyethyl-                                                                      40      40       30        30        70      70                      ene in resin                                                                   mixture by weight                                                              (Wt %)                                                                         Ethylene-α-                                                                        Ethylene-ethyl                                                                         Ethylene-ethyl                                                                          Ethylene-vinyl                                                                           Ethylene-vinyl                                                                           Ethylene-vinyl                                                                         Ethylene-vinyl          olefin    acrylate                                                                               acrylate acetate copolymer;                                                                       acetate copolymer;                                                                       acetate acetate                 copolymer copolymer;                                                                             copolymer;                                                                              VA content = 10                                                                          VA content = 10                                                                          copolymer;                                                                             copolymer;                        EA-content =                                                                           EA content = 9                                                                          wt %      wt%       VA content                                                                             VA content =                      9 wt %  wt %                         10 wt % 10 wt %                 Melt flow rate                                                                           1.0     1.0      1.5       1.5       1.0     1.0                     Monomer contain-                                                                         --      --       Trimethylolpropane                                                                       Trimethylolpropane                                                                       1,6-Hexanediol                                                                         1,6-Hexanediol          ing unsaturated            trimethacrylate (5)                                                                      trimethacrylate (5)                                                                      dimethacrylate                                                                         dimethacrylate          C--C bond in                                   (5)     (5)                     molecule (phr)                                                                 Irradiation dose                                                                         10      30       10        30        10      30                      (Mrad)                                                                         Holding time in                                                                          0 min   0 min    45 min    1.4 hr    3.2 hr  >8 hr                   high-voltage                                                                   cut-through                                                                    test (Hr)                                                                      Holding time in                                                                          5.7 hr  4.3 hr   >8 hr     >8 hr     >8 hr   >8 hr                   withstand voltage                                                              test (Hr)                                                                      Initial tensile                                                                          1.02    1.17     1.29      1.33      1.12    1.17                    strength (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                         Initial elongation                                                                       316     305      231       172       232     193                     (%)                                                                            Residual elongation                                                                      68      47       78        81        73      79                      after aging (%)                                                                Combustion test                                                                          2/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                             5/5, passed                                                                              5/5, passed                                                                              3/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed             (VW-1)                                                                         __________________________________________________________________________      The melt flow rate of polyethylene: JIS K 6700.                                The melt flow rate of ethyleneolefin copolymer: JIS K 6730.                    Conditions of aging: 158° C., 7 days (gear oven).                       Conditions of aging for the withstand voltage test: 158° C., for 7      days (gear over).                                                              Those samples that did not break after 8 hours in the highvoltage              cutthrough test and in the withstand voltage test we indicated as >8 Hr. 

The results on the characteristics of the high-voltage cut-through test, withstand voltage test, heat aging test and combustion test for the different resin compositions of the sample wire are as follows.

For the high-voltage cut-through test such resin compositions as Examples 1 to 6 and Comparative Example 12 which contained polyethylene with higher than 125° C. of melting point and ethylene-α-olefin copolymer in the ratio of more than 40/60 by weight and also contained a monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule passed the test at 125° C.

On the other hand, such a composition as Comparative Example 2 of which base resin was comprising solely of polyethylene with a melting point higher than 125° C. passed the high-voltage cut-through test however, it showed markedly lowered initial elongation.

As for the withstand voltage test such compositions as Comparative Examples 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 which did not contain a monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule caused dielectric break-down before reaching 7 hours of testing time. By contrast such sample wires as Examples 1 through 6 and Comparative Examples 2, 9, 10, 11 and 12 containing the monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule showed longer than 8 hours of the withstand voltage characteristics.

As for the results of the heat aging resistance test and the combustion test of VW-1, it was found that such compositions as Examples 1 through 6 and Comparative Examples 11 and 12 which contained a monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule showed higher than acceptable 65% of residual elongation percentage after heat aging and also passed the VW-1.

By contrast such compositions as Comparative Examples 5, 6, 7 and 8 which did not contain a monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule gave undesirably lower than 65% of the residual elongation percentage after heat aging; the compositions of Comparative Examples 6 and 8 which were irradiated 30 Mrad dose of electron beam passed the VW-1 test however, these samples did not passed the heat aging test. On the other hand, Comparative Examples 5 and 7 which were irradiated 10 Mrad dose of electron beam showed higher than 65% of the residual elongation percentage after heat aging test however, some samples could not pass the VW-1 test.

As obvious from the above discussion, in view of the balance of all of the characteristics of high-voltage cut-through, withstand voltage, VW-1 combustion test and heat aging resistance, it is concluded that such resin compositions are preferable, which contain polyethylene with a melting point of higher than 125° C. and ethylene-α-olefin copolymer in a compositional ratio higher than 40/60 of more preferably in the range of 40/60 to 80/20, and which contains a monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule. It is mentioned further on the monomer having unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in the molecule that such so-called trifunctional monomers as trimethylolpropanetrimethacrylate, pentaerythritoltrimethacrylate, triallyl isocyanurate and triallylcyanurate are preferably contained into the resin compositions for efficient production of high-voltage lead wire for direct current by using relatively low doses of irradiation.

(Second Embodiment)

Sample wires were prepared as follows: The resin compositions shown in Tables 4 to 6 were kneaded together with polyolefin resin, fillers, organic silane compound, anti-oxidant and other additives which were added at a same time by using an open-roll mixer heated at 130° C. and the mixture was made into pellets. The pellets were used to be extruded over annealed copper wire, 0.8 mm in diameter by using a melt extruder to obtain insulated wires with diameters of 2.27 mm and 4.23 mm, which were irradiated by electron beam at 2 MV of acceleration voltage to prepare the sample wires.

                                      TABLE 4                                      __________________________________________________________________________                    Example 7                                                                              Example 8                                                                            Example 9                                                                            Example 10                                                                           Example 11                                                                             Example                                                                                Example               __________________________________________________________________________                                                              13                    Polyolefin resin 100 phr                                                       Base resin     EVA     EEA   EVA   EMA   EEA     EVA     Ethylene-1-                                                                    butene                                                                         copolymer/                                                                     EEA =                                                                          50/50                                                                          (by wt)               Melt flow rate  1      0-5   1     1     0.5     1       2.5                   Note           VA content                                                                             EA content                                                                           VA content                                                                           MA    EA content                                                                             VA content                                                                             EEA:EA                               25%     19%   33%   content                                                                              19%     25%     content                                                  20%                   19%                   Halogen-type flame retardant                                                                  Brominated                                                                             Deca- Perchloro-                                                                           Deca- Perchloro-                                                                             Tris(tribromo-                                                                         Deca-                                phthalimide                                                                            bromodi-                                                                             penta-                                                                               bromodi-                                                                             pentacyclo-                                                                            neopentyl)                                                                             bromodi-                             derivative (Br                                                                         phenyl-                                                                              cyclo-                                                                               phenyl-                                                                              decane 10 phr                                                                          phosphate                                                                              phenyl-                              content 61%) 30                                                                        ether 20                                                                             decane                                                                               ether 10      phr     ether 30                             phr     phr   15 phr                                                                               phr                   phr                   Magnesium hydroxide (phr)                                                                     120     140   160   140   180     150     150                   γ-Methacryloxypropyl-                                                                    4       3     2     4     1       3       4                    trimethoxysilane (phr)                                                         Irradiation dose (Mrad)                                                                        20      15    25    20    15      20      20                   High-voltage cut-through                                                                      Passed  Passed                                                                               Passed                                                                               Passed                                                                               Passed  Passed  Passed                holding time (2.27 o)                                                          High-voltage cut-through                                                                      Passed  Passed                                                                               Passed                                                                               Passed                                                                               Passed  Passed  Passed                holding time (4.23 o)                                                          Initial (2.27 o)                                                               Tensile        1.13    1.26  1.16  1.32  1.16    1.26    1.21                  strength (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                         Elongation (%) 226     181   169   213   166     173     152                   Young's modulus                                                                               4.78    5.23  3.96  5.54  6.87    5.22    4.36                  (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                                  After aging (A)                                                                (2.27 o)                                                                       Residual tensile                                                                               95     112   105    82   101      78      85                   strength (%)                                                                   Residual elongation                                                                            92      87    81    90    78      73      82                   rate (%)                                                                       After aging (B)                                                                (2.27 o)                                                                       Residual tensile                                                                              105     132    98   126    92      80     101                   strength (%)                                                                   Residual elongation                                                                            87      83    78    93    82      68      94                   rate (%)                                                                       VW-1 combustion test (2.27 o)                                                                 5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed           VW-l combustion test (4.23 o)                                                                 5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed           Extruded appearance                                                                           Good    Good  Good  Good  Good    Good    Good                  __________________________________________________________________________      Melt flow rate: 190° C., 2160 g load (g/10 minutes) EVA:                Ethylenevinyl acetate copolymer                                                Conditions of aging A: 158° C., 7 days (gear oven) EEA:                 Ethyleneethylacryalte copolymer                                                Conditions of aging B: 136° C., 60 days (gear oven) EMA:                Ethylenemethylacrylate copolymer                                         

                                      TABLE 5                                      __________________________________________________________________________                  Compara-                                                                               Compara-                                                                               Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                               Compara-                             tive    tive    tive  tive  tive  tive    tive                                 Example 13                                                                             Example 14                                                                             Example 15                                                                           Example 16                                                                           Example 17                                                                           Example 18                                                                             Example                 __________________________________________________________________________                                                            19                      Polyolefin resin 100 phr                                                       Base         EVA     EEA     EVA   EVA   EVA   EVA     EVA                     resin                                                                          Melt flow     1      0.5      1     1     1     1                              rate                                                                           Note         VA content                                                                             EA content                                                                             VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                             VA content                           25%     19%     25%   25%   25%   25%     25%                     Halogen containing                                                                          Decabromodi-                                                                           Decabromodi-                                                                           Perchloro-                                                                           Perchloro-                                                                           Perchloro-                                                                           Brominated                                                                             Decabromodi-            type flame   phenylether 20                                                                         phenylether 20                                                                         penta-                                                                               penta-                                                                               penta-                                                                               phthalimide                                                                            phenylether 20          retardant    phr     phr     cyclo-                                                                               cyclo-                                                                               cyclo-                                                                               derivative                                                                             phr                                                  decane                                                                               decane                                                                               decane                                                                               content 61%)                                                 20 phr                                                                               20 phr                                                                               20 phr                                                                               10 phr)                         Magnesium hydroxide                                                                         200     200                       200     200                     (phr)                                                                          Magnesium hydroxide          140                                               (oleate-treated) (phr)                                                         Magnesium hydroxide                180                                         (vinyl silane-treated)                                                         (phr)                                                                          Magnesium hydroxide                      160                                   (γ-methacryloxypropyl                                                    trimethoxysilane-treated)                                                      (phr)                                                                          γ-Methacryloxypropyl                                                                   5               5     5                                          trimethoxysilane (phr)                                                         Vinyl triethoxysilane                           5                              (phr)                                                                          Trimethylolpropane                                      5                      trimethacrylate (phr)                                                          Irradiation dose (Mrad)                                                                     No       30      30    30    30    30      30                     High-voltage cut-through                                                                    <0.1 hr <0.1 hr 0.5 hr                                                                               <0.1 hr                                                                              <0.1 hr                                                                              <0.1 hr 0.2 hr                  holding time (2.27 o)                                                          High-voltage cut-through                                                                    <0.1 hr <0.1 hr 0.3 hr                                                                               <0.1 hr                                                                              0.4 hr                                                                               <0.1 hr 0.5 hr                  holding time (4.23 o)                                                          Initial (2.27 o)                                                               Tensile strength                                                                            0.62    0.68    0.58  0.61  0.79  0.81    0.88                    (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                                  Elongation (%)                                                                              409     337     403   625   247   278     167                     Young's      4.12    5.60    3.89  4.04  4.85  4.66    6.82                    modulus                                                                        (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                                  After aging (A)                                                                (2.27 o)                                                                       Residual tensile                                                                            Failed to hold                                                                         139      85   132   129   106      93                     strength (%) shape                                                             Residual              38      22    19    52    41      44                     elongation rate                                                                (%)                                                                            After aging (B)                                                                (2.27 o)                                                                       Residual tensile                                                                            Failed to hold                                                                         101     122   115   86    122                             strength     shape                                                             Residual              46      39   22    47    43                              elongation rate                                                                VW-1 combustion test                                                                        2/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                     (2.27 o)                                                                       VW-1 combustion test                                                                        4/5, failed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                     (4.23 o)                                                                       Extruded appearance                                                                         Good    Good    Good  Good  Good  Good                            __________________________________________________________________________      Melt flow rate: 190° C., 2160 g load (g/10 minutes)                     Conditions of aging A: 158° C., 7 days (gear oven)                      Conditions of aging B: 136° C., 60 days (gear oven)               

                                      TABLE 6                                      __________________________________________________________________________                      Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                              Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                             Compara-                                                                               Compara-                                tive  tive   tive  tive  tive  tive    tive                                    Example 20                                                                           Example 21                                                                            Example 22                                                                           Example 23                                                                           Example 24                                                                           Example                                                                                Example                __________________________________________________________________________                                                             26                     Polyolefin resin 100 phr                                                       Base resin       EVA   EVA    EVA   EVA   EVA   EVA     EVA                    Melt flow rate    1     1      1     1     1     1       1                     Note             VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                            VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                           VA content                                                                             VA content                              25%   25%    25%   25%   25%   25%     25%                    Halogen-type flame retardant                                                                    Deca- Deca-                    Deca-   Deca-                                   bomodi-                                                                              bromodi-                 bomodi- bromodi-                                phenyl-                                                                              phenyl-                  phenyl- phenyl-                                 ether 20                                                                             ether 20                 ether 20                                                                               ether 20                                phr   phr                      phr     phr                    Flame retardant other than of       Tributyl                                                                             Ammonium                             halogen containig type (phr)        phosphate                                                                            poly-                                                                    30 phr                                                                               phosphate                                                                      30 phr                               Magnesium hydroxide (phr)                                                                        80   240    180   180   180   160     160                    γ-Methacryloxypropyl                                                                       6     2      2     3     3     3       3                     trimethoxysilane (phr)                                                         Dicumyl peroxide (phr)                           2       2                     Irradiation dose (Mrad)                                                                          30    10     20    20    20   Steam cured                                                                            Steam cured                                                            5 min   for 5 min              High-voltage cut-through holding                                                                2.5 hr                                                                               Passed Passed                                                                               5.5 hr                                                                               3.0 hr                                                                               3.5 hr  Passed                 time (2.27 o)                                                                  High-voltage cut-through holding                                                                4.5 hr                                                                               Passed Passed                                                                               Passed                                                                               5.5 hr                                                                               4.5 hr  Passed                 time (4.23 o)                                                                  Initial (2.27 o)                                                               Tensile          1.38  1.33   1.20  1.08  0.94  1.18    1.26                   strength                                                                       (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                                  Elongation (%)   295    53    216   222   139   164      86                    Young's modulus  4.20  7.22   4.86  5.01  5.63  5.33    5.02                   (kg/mm.sup.2)                                                                  After aging (A)                                                                (2.27 o)                                                                       Residual tensile  88   --     108    68    88    94     --                     strength (%)                                                                   Residual          96   --      93    47    56    53     --                     elongation rate                                                                (%)                                                                            After aging (B)                                                                (2.27 o                                                                        Residual tensile 105   --      95    17   Estimation                                                                           124     --                     strength (%)                              impossble                            Residual          67   --      82    3    Estimation                                                                            78     --                     elongation rate                           impossible                           (%)                                                                            VW-1 combustion test (2.27 o)                                                                   5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                           5/5, passed                                                                          1/5, failed                                                                          1/5, failed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed            VW-1 combustion test (4.23 o)                                                                   5/5, passed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                           3/5, failed                                                                          2/5, failed                                                                          3/5, failed                                                                          5/5, passed                                                                            5/5, passed            Extruded appearance                                                                             Good  Slightly No-                                                                          Good  Good  Good  Good    Good                                          Good                                                    __________________________________________________________________________      Melt flow rate: 190° C., 2160 g load (g/10 minutes)                     Conditions of aging A: 158° C., 7 days (gear oven)                      Conditions of aging B: 136°C., 60 days (gear oven)                

To the resin compositions described in Tables 4 to 6 were formulated, in addition to the shown ingredients, 10 parts by weight of antimony trioxide, 3 parts by weight of pentaerythrityltetrakis[3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate], 1 part by weight of distearyl thiodipropionate and 0.5 part by weight of zinc stearate in common, against 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin resin.

The high-voltage cut-through test in Tables 4 to 6 was performed by charging 1 pound load at each of both ends of sample wire in a gear oven maintained at 125° C. and the dielectric breakdown time was measured by applying 15 kV of direct current to the samples of 2.27 mm φ and 60 kV to those of 4.23 mm φ at n=3 respectively, and when 3 samples stood unbroken for longer than 8 hours the example was judged as passed.

In the heat aging test with the sample wires with 2.27 mm φ diameter, the retention of tensile strength and of elongation of the samples which had been submitted to aging by heating for 7 days at 158° C. and those aged for 60 days at 136° C. were measured.

Here, retention (%)=(Value of heat-aged sample/Initial value)×100, and samples were judged as passed when they showed higher than 70% of the retention of tensile strength and higher than 65% of that of elongation. The combustion test was carried out following the VW-1 method at n=5.

The characteristics of the resin coatings in the high-voltage cut-through test, heat aging test, combustion test and other tests in reference to their composition are as follows.

In Examples 7 through 13 such resin compositions as containing magnesium hydroxide with no surface treatment in the range of 100 to 200 parts by weight, halogen containing type flame retardant in the range of 5 to 50 parts by weight and an organic silane compound as represented by the general formula [1] in the range of 1 to 10 parts by weight, against 100 parts by weight of the olefin resin, were extruded over the conductor and cross-linked by electron bean irradiation. These samples passed the high-voltage cut-through test and both of the 2.27 mm φ and 4.23 mm φ samples passed the combustion test. They showed the initial tensile strength in the range of 1.1 to 1.3 kg/mm², satisfied the tensile strength higher than 1.06 kg/mm² required in the UL Standards and passed both heat aging tests at 158° C. for 7 days and at 136° C. for 60 days. These samples showed about 3 to 6 kg/mm² of the Young's modulus in the insulating layer demonstrating that they were materials with excellent flexibility.

In Comparative Example 13 the sample contained 200 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide without surface-treatment, 20 parts by weight of halogen containing type flame retardant and 5 parts by weight of an organic silane compound represented by the general formula [1] and was not irradiated by electron beam for cross linking. This sample failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through test and did not reach the level of 1.06 kg/mm² required in the UL Standards for the initial tensile strength.

In Comparative Example 14, a resin compound without being added with the organic silane compound represented by the general formula [1] was used for insulating layer. The sample failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through test.

In Comparative Example 15, magnesium hydroxide of which surface had previously been treated with oleate was used. The sample passed the VW-1 test however, it showed the tensile strength lower than 1.06 kg/mm² and did not pass the high-voltage cut-through test, heat-aging test.

The sample in Comparative Example 16 used magnesium hydroxide previously surface-treated with vinylsilane passed the VW-1 test however, it showed the tensile strength lower than 1.06 kg/mm² and failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through test, heat-aging test.

In Comparative Example 17, magnesium hydroxide which had previously been surface-treated with γ-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane was used. The sample passed the combustion test but the initial tensile strength was lower than 1.06 kg/mm², and it failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through test and showed lower than 65% of the residual elongation percentage after the heat aging test.

In Comparative Example 18, vinyltriethoxysilane was employed in place of an organic silane compound represented by the general formula. The sample did not pass the high-voltage cut-through test and did not satisfy the required level of 1.06 kg/mm² of the initial tensile strength.

In Comparative Example 19, a polyfunctionalized monomer of trimethylolpropanetrimethacrylate, which had been widely used as a cross-linking accelerator for polyolefin and other thermoplastic resins, was added to accelerate the cross-linking efficiency by electron beam irradiation, but the sample failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through test and the 4.23 mm φ sample did not pass the combustion test.

The sample in Comparative Example 20 contained 80 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide, of which the surface had not been treated, failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through test.

The sample in Comparative Example 21 contained 240 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide. It passed the high-voltage cut-through test however, it is questionable in practical use because it had slightly unsatisfactory appearance after extrusion and lower than 100% of initial elongation.

In Comparative Example 22 no halogen containing type flame retardant was added to the sample. It passed the high-voltage cut-through test but in the VW-1 test, the sample of 2.27 mm φ passed it while the one of 4.23 mm φ failed.

In the samples of Comparative Examples 23 and 24, a halogen containing type flame retardant was not used but tributyl phosphate and ammonium polyphosphate, phosphorus-type retardants, were used instead. In comparison with Comparative Example 22, the replacements were found to lower the flame resistance and also exert undesirable effects on the high-voltage cut-through characteristics.

In Comparative Examples 25 and 26, 2 parts by weight of dicumyl peroxide were added per 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin resin to make a thermally curable resin compositions and they were extruded over the conductor and heat-cured by compressed steam. The sample of Comparative Example 26 satisfied the high-voltage cut-through characteristics however, it showed undesirably lower than 100% of initial elongation, while the sample of Comparative Example 25 satisfied the initial elongation characteristics but failed to pass the high-voltage cut-through and heat aging resistance test, showing unbalance among characteristics.

Thus, a high-voltage lead wire for direct current is provided herein which passes the required high-voltage cut-through property and flame resistance (VW-1), has a temperature rating grade higher than 125° C. and possesses excellent flexibility. This is obtained by extruding over a conductor a resin composition prepared by adding more than 100 parts by weight and less than 200 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide with no surface treatment, more than 5 parts by weight but less than 50 parts by weight of a halogen containing type flame retardant and more than 1 part by weight and less than 10 parts by weight of an organic silane compound.

As explained above, according to the present invention, a high-voltage lead wire for direct current, a which satisfies a temperature rating of 125° C., can be efficiently manufactured, using inexpensive materials. This wire should meet the demands of heat resistance in the field of high-voltage wires for direct current and is expected to have an extremely valuable utility. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An insulated high-voltage lead wire for direct current in which an insulating layer is formed over the conductor, said insulating layer comprising a polyolefin based resin composition, said polyolefin resin composition being a flame-retardant resin composition comprising a resin mixture (A) of 40 to 80% by weight a polyethylene, of which a crystalline component of the polyethylene has a melting point between about 125° C. to 131° C., and an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, and a multi-functionalized monomer (B) having an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in its molecule as an indispensable component and wherein said insulating layer is irradiated by ionizing radiation.
 2. An insulated, high-voltage lead wire for direct current as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monomer (B) having an unsaturated carbon-carbon bond moiety in its molecule, is a compound or a mixture of 2 or more compounds selected from the group consisting of trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol trimethacrylate, triallyl isocyanurate, triallyl cyanurate and triacrylformal.
 3. An insulated high voltage wire for direct current as claimed in claim 1 in which the crystalline component of the polyethylene resin has a melting point of between 129° C. and 131° C. 